Kresna qualifies for Atlanta Olympics

Kresna qualifies for Atlanta Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian judo king Kresna Bayu will have a
rare international outing in Atlanta during the Olympic Games
this summer.

Deputy Secretary-General of the Indonesian Judo Association,
Aji Kusmantri, said here yesterday that according to the latest
Asian rankings, Kresna is among the region's athletes qualifying
for the Olympics.

The Asian Judo Association compiled the rankings based on
athletes' performances in a number of tournaments throughout
1995. The international body will decide the quota for each Asian
country after several tournaments which serve as Olympic
qualifying rounds.

"I haven't seen anybody else from Indonesia win an Olympic
berth," Aji said.

Middleweight Kresna ended last season with two gold medals in
the men's 86kg division and open class at the 18th Southeast
Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand last December.

Aji said the national judo body has set its sight on taking
six places at the world's biggest sporting extravaganza.

He said that all seven male and female SEA Games gold
medalists are now being groomed for the Olympics.

Aji said the seven judo athletes will not compete in the
national championships which will take place in Ciloto, Bogor,
West Java from Jan. 16 to Jan 19. The four-day judo meet will
serve as a qualifying round for the National Games here in
September.

"They have to fully concentrate on the Olympic qualifying
rounds," Aji said.

Aji has made sure that the seven judo athletes will
automatically qualify for the National Games, in which they will
don their provincial colors. (amd)